This summer, I worked as a Casework Intern with the International Rescue Committee in Charlottesville, Virginia. As someone who holds a particular interest in refugee crises, working for a nonprofit organization such as IRC was a dream of mine. While the IRC assists many people from refugees, to asylum seekers, to human trafficking victims, IRC…

Throughout the duration of the Fall semester, the Reiff Center hosted a variety of thought provoking events that engaged not only Christopher Newport University students and faculty, but also members of the Newport News and surrounding communities. One such event was a lecture given by Dr. Kimberly Guiler, a Research Fellow with the Middle East…

An Examination of Women’s and LGBT Rights Reporting Under the Trump Administration In May of 2017, President Donald Trump stated, “We are not here to lecture – we are not here to tell other people how to live, what to do, who to be, or how to worship.” How does this type of rhetoric affect…

In November of 2012, Russia passed the infamous “Foreign Agent Law” that requires all organizations participating in political activities and receiving foreign funding to register with the state as foreign agents. This law follows Putin’s agenda to repress civil society to protect national security, but that repression has proved detrimental to human rights in Russia…

On October 9th, President Donald Trump announced the resignation of Nimrata “Nikki” Haley from her post as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Haley will leave her post by the end of this year. Coming just four weeks before the midterm elections, this unexpected announcement was a surprise to the public, as well…

On Thursday, September 27th, the Reiff Center at CNU hosted Dr. Evan Perkoski, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Connecticut. He spoke to a crowd of CNU students, professors, and members of the Newport News community regarding mass killings during popular uprisings. Dr. Perkoski began by discussing the…

On Wednesday, February 28th, the Reiff Center at CNU hosted Dr. Rachel Wahl, an Assistant Professor in the Leadership, Foundations, and Policies Department at the University of Virginia. She spoke to a filled crowd of CNU students, discussing the ways in which police forces interact with their communities. First, she explained her previous studies with…

Protests against Joseph Kabila’s government are nothing new, but the latest violence at recent protests on Jan. 21 and Feb. 25 have increased the call for the president of 17 years to step down. Violent repression against these protests has seemed to increase in the past two years, especially after Kabila has stayed in power…

Potential conflict involving North Korea, South Korea, and the United States has recently become one of the world’s most pressing geopolitical issues, and the rhetorical and military situation on the peninsula has only become more fractured in the last 18 months. In the shadow of these increased tensions, the Olympics have been a stage not…

At the height of the Refugee Crisis in 2015, Sweden was considered to be the biggest safe haven in all of Europe. In 2015 alone, Sweden took in nearly 163,000 refugees, including 35,000 unaccompanied minors. At its peak, refugees were arriving at a rate of 10,000 a week. This made them the largest per capita…